Recipe - Beer Can Chicken: Great On The Grill

1 lg Whol chicken; (4 to 5
pounds)
3 tablespoon Basic Rub for Barbecue or
your favorite
; dry barbecue rub
1 cn Beer; (12 ounces)

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
1 One half cup Mesquite chips; soaked in
cold
; water to cover for
; 1 hour and drained

BASIC RUB FOR BARBECUE
One half cup Kosher salt
One half cup Sugar
One half cup Ground black pepper
One half cup Paprika

1. Remove and discard the fat just inside the body cavities of the
chicken. Remove the package of giblets, and set aside for another
use. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water.
then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Sprinkle
1 tablespoon of the rub inside the body and neck cavities, then rub
another 1 tablespoon all over the skin of the bird. If you wish, rub
another One half tablespoon of the mixture between the flesh and skin.
Cover and refrigerate the chicken while you preheat the grill.

2. Set up the grill for indirect grilling, placing a drip pan in the
center. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium. If using a
gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat the
grill to high; then, when smoke appears, lower the heat to medium.

3. Pop the tab on the beer can. Using a "church key"style can opener
, make 6 or 7 holes in the top of the can. Pour out the top inch of
beer, then spoon the remaining dry rub through the holes into the
beer. Holding the chicken upright, with the opening of the body
cavity down, insert the beer can into the cavity.

4. When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss half the wood chips on
the coals. Oil grill grate. Stand the chicken up in the center of the
hot grate, over the drip pan. Spread out the legs to form a sort of
tripod, to support the bird.

5. Cover the grill and cook the chicken, until falloffthebone
tender, 2 hours. If using charcoal, add 10 to 12 fresh coals per side
and the remaining chips after 1 hour.

6. Using tongs, lift the bird to a cutting board or platter, holding a
large metal spatula underneath the beer can for support. (Have the
board or platter right next to the bird to make the move shorter. Be
careful not to spill hot beer on yourself.) Let stand for 5 minutes
before carving the meat off the upright carcass. (Toss the beer can
out along with the carcass).

Serves: 4 to 6

Basic Rub for Barbecue:

1. Combine ingredients in a bowl, and whisk them all together to mix.

2. Store in an airtight jar.

Yield: 2 cups.

About the Author: Steven Raichlen is the author of 16 books, including
Miami Spice, which won an IACP/Julia Child Award and the HighFlavor,
LowFat Cooking series, which won two James Beard Awards. He is a
restaurant correspondent for National Geographic Traveler and a
frequent contributor to Food & Wine.Recipes copyright C1999 Steven
Raichlen.

Converted by MC_Buster.

NOTES : From author Steven Raichlen

Recipe by: Good Morning America

Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.